War

Over the last eight months, conflict in Tigray, in northern Ethiopia, has killed thousands of people, displaced two million and pushed 350,000 to the brink of famine. Robert Patman is a Professor of… Audio

For various reasons, there are a number of countries around the world that do not officially exist. But that didn't stop Brazilian author Guilherme Canever trying to visit them all. He's written about… Audio

Wing commander Dion Peat is currently serving at the United Nations Command HQ - 60km south of Seoul, in the Republic of Korea. The main goal at the UN quarters is to maintain the Korean Armistice… Audio

Waikato University's International Law professor Dr Alexander Gillespie is the author of a series of books on The Laws of War and The Causes of War, and the prospect of war is something we want to… Audio

Book reading has been on a high during the pandemic, with sales of historical fiction in particular soaring. Novelist Kate Mosse's new book, The City of Tears, has been gaining rave reviews. Kate… Audio

Christchurch based audio historian and researcher Sarah Johnston (Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Rakaipaaka) recently won a Judith Binney Writing Award to study the National Broadcasting Service's Mobile… Audio

In his new book, The Socrates Express, Eric Weiner goes in search of life lessons from dead philosophers. He joins the show to discuss the book -- which highlights philosophers and the specific… Audio

Season 4 of The Crown is facing criticism for distorting the truth. Royal correspondent Richard Fitzwilliams says it's disappointing that the major characters are being cast as cold, uncaring and… Audio

What was life really like for Kiwi soldiers serving during World War II, and what secrets might they have harboured? New Zealand author Tom Remiger has drawn on his extensive research from wartime… Audio

Rachel Scott-Leflaive's permanent home is in the idyllic ski area of Chamonix, France, but following the devastating blast in Beirut last month she has been deployed to Lebanon where she is working… Audio

One of the most anticipated movies of 2020, Mulan was shot on location in NZ, with a cast that included 17 Kiwis and a crew that was 90percent local. And, of course, the director was also a Kiwi, Niki… Audio

Homo sapiens can be the nicest of species and also the nastiest, according to Harvard University biological anthropologist Professor Richard Wrangham. He joins the show to discuss his book, The… Audio

Pandemics brought down the greatest human empire of all time - who knew? Kyle Harper is the author of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease and the End of an Empire, which examines the collapse of the… Audio

It's been a tough time for the British royal family of late. However, there is a ray of light in the form of Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who is being tipped to steady the royal ship. Author Christina… Audio

Dr. Ron Palenski's new book, Our Game: New Zealand Rugby at 150 offers a fresh take on the beginnings of the game of rugby in this country, with the veteran scribe offering new evidence of a game that… Audio

"If your picture is not good enough, it's because you're not close enough." That's the mantra of Israeli solider-turned-wildlife-photographer Amos Nachoum. His film, Picture of His Life is screening… Video, Audio

Covid-19 has ravaged many industries, but romance novel sales have been soaring through the lockdown period, including titles from Te-Puke based mother of four Joanne Wadsworth. Audio

War correspondent Toby Muse spent 15 years living in Colombia and gained an unprecedented level of access to the local drug cartels. His new book, Kilo, traces the life cycle of a kilogram of cocaine.

The decorated war correspondent Christina Lamb (Farewell Kabul, I Am Malala) has written a harrowing history of what war does to women. Our Bodies, Their Battlefield is her attempt to tell the true… Audio